I've like Corman's films but this is something else. Right up there with To Kill a Mocking Bird and in a way being more brutal and explicit about the level of racism in America at the time. Its a shocking glimpse back at recent history and with telling resonances for today and yet avoids all the usual cliches. The language would never be allowed today but its how it would have been and for some probably still is. Its not sentimental but shows us graphically something about how people are influenced and their own darker motives used. Recommend everyone on this archive to see this. Its also shot with real style to make it a cinematic gem.

As someone else commented, this is one of the best movies in the archive. There are many unique qualities to this film that keep things moving non-stop. First, the elephant in the room is the subject matter, the setting, and the time at which this film was made: Yes, it is heavy on race, use of the "N-word," but it offers subjectivity to the antagonist (Shatner) and protagonists in the film that humanize it, offering levity against Shatner's witty and insulting persona. Some of these are obvious, but more interestingly are some of the more underlying political undertones and historical perspective that are not so obvious at times, but still weigh heavy within the story-line.

I can probably say 50 other good things about this film. I am not a huge fan of William Shatner's acting styles, but for a young Shatner shown here, his screen presence is maybe one of the most believable I have seen of him. Even though he plays the role here of a womanizing, racist, bigot, and self-absorbed coward, his performance feels very legitimate and adds layers to his character in the film. You can't help but feel that his performance really serves the plot and the exact goal of the director.

And if nothing else the plot of the movie sheds light on significant points in history, especially in the southern U.S. during a time of historic changes with racial division and integration. Regardless of opinions, it does show us a period of time that is ugly, but important to remember.

Wow at first this was difficult to watch as i know that my people experienced this over, and over again. However i'm glad I was able to suck it up. William Shatner was great, and I enjoy, and have always enjoyed the acting of the big guy although his name escapes me. The movie also reassured me that if I had a choice between being from the oppressors; or the oppressed I would rather be from the latter. The movie was good as it had a positive ending, and let us know that not all whites was white supremacist, and racist bigots.
Hakuna

This, poignant, intentionally, racist (anti-negro), (S.E. USA, town, setting), daring, 1962, film, starring, William Shatner, (KKK-Propagandist), is, succinctly, diligently, written, directed, and, brilliantly, acted, by, its, principal, actors, (especially, Shatner), ... and, in, many ways, (although, done, with, a, lower, operating budget, and, in, B & W, and, devised, from, more, of, a, White-perspective), has, just, as, effective (if, not, more, so), an, underlying-message, as, in, "The Heat Of The Night", which, was, done, later, on, staring, the negro, Sidney P.

White people: Evil. Jews and Blacks: Good. This propaganda has worked quite well.

Originally THE INTRUDER, also released under the titles I HATE YOUR GUTS! and SHAME, is clearly the best written and acted, and by far the strongest film Roger Corman has made in his lengthy career. Although he often claims this is the only film he lost money making, that is also said to be an exaggeration on Corman's part.

In any case, as much as I enjoy his '50s westerns and sci-fi b-films, this outstrips even the supposedly higher quality of his '60s Poe horror movies and biker/drug films, which I've always found to be greatly overrated.

It's no wonder Roger Corman hasn't been able to direct another film in recent decades, other than the regrettable FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND. Where can a director go after making such a powerful film as THE INTRUDER? And this is William Shatner at his very best; after THE INTRUDER, Star Trek must have been a disappointment for him also.

This is one of the best films available on the Archive, despite the rough quality print(and it's in the public domain, unlike many other movies here).

Here are a couple of links worth checking for more info:


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055019/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intruder_(1962_film)

I am in total agreement of your comment:
"They are a little heavy handed with the use of the N-word, but it was used very liberally in those days by ignorant people". However if we censor history it is more apt to happen again. Political correctness is fine in general public, however since it is enforced in teachers curriculums, I have seen and heard an increase in racism, and racist slurs, in the US and abroad. Teachers must have for example the original Huckleberry Finn with N word and get into the ugly history, slavery and discrimination, etc and show children and students how this is bad for the oppressed and the oppressor. Germany banned Hitler's hateful and mad Mein Kampf since the end of the second world war. In the past two or three decades there has been a significant increase by white supremacist groups attacks and killings of immigrants there. I believe if professors, teachers, and other people of good will(most germans of today are) were allowed to let students read it and then discuss it, and impress upon students and young people how awful was this Nazi era, there would not be not so much ethnic tension in Germany recently(the last decade or two)

I remember watching and reading so much news when the Berlin Wall finally fell in 1989. There was plenty of wonderful art, poetry, etc on the wall portions still standing. One that really struck me was the one piece by The Berlin Prostitutes Union. On that section of the Iron Curtain was a painting of some ladies of the night. But the text along with it was the most important:"Do Not Destroy History", In other words keep a significant section of the wall up to remind people what had happened in the past can happen again. Sadly most of the wall in Berlin has been taken down, especially around check point Charley. What really makes me angry is how American and International "entrepreneurs" throughly tore up and built over that Iconic area of the Berlin wall thus erasing it from memory. History does indeed repeat itself. But if we erase it, that ugly parts of the march of time through civilization, are more inclined to repeat quicker. And we have nothing to learn from the past to nip in the bud an impending hatefulness taking over one part of the human society against another. It is much harder to stop a wrong if you do not have history to help reverse a vicious trend. Then, Starting from square one is all you have to deal with a crisis....

dahszil
male
usa

the speech at 25 minute into is still the rubbish being bandied around by the small minded people today.
im glad to see roger corman doing a straight message story, not to knock Attack of the leach women or anything. it was just a pleasant suprise:)

Voof! This is one hard hitting movie about the controversy surrounding civil rights in America in the 1960's. Shatner did a pretty good job in this film playing the heavy and it's worth the time to watch.

This film was far better than I expected it to be. (They are a little heavy handed with the use of the N-word, but it was used very liberally in those days by ignorant people.)
It is very melodramatic at times, but it does give a little glimpse of what times were like back then.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!------
The ending is not what would have really happened back then. In the real world of the 1960's south the crowd would have had the young man hung and dead within 5 minutes. People who were on a mission of vengeance did not calm down and listen to reason then any more then than they do now.

Intersting film about prejudice and race. William Shatner's career up to this time was mostly stage work. His first televison show was for ABC called "For The People". His character was a teacher in a high school. A good show,unfortunately they put against "Bonaza" and it hung in there for thirteen episodes befor being canned. He said in his autobiograohy, he snubbed any wiork that wasn't theatre work and his jobs on screen prove that until, "Star Trek.